Texas wife who ran over spouse denied parole

GATESVILLE — A Texas dentist convicted of killing her unfaithful husband — an orthodontist — by running him down with her car in 2002 has been denied parole.

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles on Thursday ruled that the nature of 55-year-old Clara Harris' crime was reason enough to keep her imprisoned. Harris has served half of her 20-year sentence.

She was convicted of murder in 2003 for repeatedly running over her 44-year-old husband, David Harris, with her Mercedes-Benz in a hotel parking lot after confronting him with his mistress.

This was her first attempt at parole. Her next review is set for April 2015.

Former Harris attorney Emily Detoto acknowledged that the odds were not in favor of Harris being paroled on her first try.

“But I thought if anyone had a chance, she did,” Detoto said. “She had a lot of supporters. She'd been a model prisoner.”

Information about whether David Harris' family and friends spoke against parole was not available.

“All information provided to the board, whether in favor of or opposed to parole, is confidential,” said Harry Battson, director of public information for the board.

Harris, a former Colombian beauty queen, faced up to life in prison but drew a lesser penalty because jurors found she was driven by “sudden passion” to run down her husband while his teenage stepdaughter, Lindsey Harris, sat horrified in the passenger seat.

The case drew national attention.

Clara and David Harris' marriage began to break up when she found out her husband was having an affair with a receptionist at one of his offices. Clara Harris confronted her husband, who promised to end it.

David Harris didn't abide by his word, though, and on July 24, 2002, Clara Harris confronted her husband and the woman when she found them holding hands. A fight ensued and David Harris told his wife the marriage was over.